AFC East
Buffalo Bills (6-10)
2018 Team Offensive Ranks*Total offense:* 30th
Passing: 31st
Rushing: 9th
Statistical Leaders (Final positional ranking/PPR ranks)
Passing:Josh Allen -- 2,074 yards, 10 TD, 12 INT (QB25)
Rushing:Josh Allen -- 631 yards, 8 TD (QB25)
Receiving:Zay Jones -- 652 yards, 7 TD (WR47/WR45)
What went right: Maybe it was because the expectations were so low for the Bills offense, but Josh Allen was a bright spot -- relatively speaking. The rookie quarterback known for his big arm actually made the biggest impact with his legs. Allen led Buffalo in rushing yards and scrimmage touchdowns despite playing just 12 games. Late in the season, the Bills passing game got a much-needed lift from speedy receiver Robert Foster who provided a deep threat to match Allen's big arm.
What went wrong: Allen leading the Bills in rushing yards was good for Allen ... bad for Buffalo. LeSean McCoy had a dreadful season, setting career-lows in rushing yards (514), scimmage yards (752) and total touchdowns (3). Kelvin Benjamin was so unproductive that the Bills released the big wideout a little more than a year after trading for him.
What needs to improve: The first thing that needs to happen for this roster to add more talent. Foster's late-season run was nice but an offense that leans on Zay Jones as its top option is going to struggle to move the ball. Buffalo's brain trust still believes LeSean McCoy has a role in the offense but until there are more pieces around him -- and he gets more than 14 touches per game -- it's hard to envision him being anything more than a third running back on most fantasy rosters.
Miami Dolphins (7-9)
2018 Team Offensive Ranks
Total offense: 26th
Passing: 30th
Rushing: 18th
Statistical Leaders (Final positional ranking/PPR ranks)
Passing:Ryan Tannehill -- 1,979 yards, 17 TD, 9 INT (QB31)
Rushing:Frank Gore -- 722 yards, 0 TD (RB40/RB46)
Receiving:Danny Amendola -- 575 yards, 1 TD (WR69/WR58)
What went right: If you were of the opinion that Frank Gore would live forever, 2018 gave you hope. Even in a limited role, the veteran running back led the team in rushing yards -- though his production wasn't stout enough to warrant his inclusion on a lot of fantasy rosters. If you can find any other real fantasy wins from this roster in 2018, let me know.
What went wrong: The Dolphins were a team without an offensive identity in 2018. A lot of criticism was lobbed at head coach Adam Gase, whose incoherent running back rotations left Kenyan Drake as a frequent bystander. Things weren't much better in the passing game. Ryan Tannehill returned after missing all of 2017 but did nothing to inspire. It didn't help that he missed five games in the middle of the season with a shoulder injury. It also didn't help that he had an underwhelming group of pass-catchers to work with. Maybe the biggest disappointment was DeVante Parker, who was set up to finally have the breakout season that had been predicted for years. Instead, he posted the worst totals of his four-year career.
What needs to improve: Gase and the Dolphins parted ways in the offseason with former Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores taking over the head coaching duties. If past is prologue, that move doesn't bode well for Miami becoming a fount of offense in 2019. Tannehill and Parker aren't expected to return and Gore will be 36-years-old. It's hard to find any Dolphins who will be coveted fantasy options in 2019.
New England Patriots (11-5)
2018 Team Offensive Ranks
Total offense: 4th
Passing: 8th
Rushing: 5th
Statistical Leaders (Final positional ranking/PPR ranks)
Passing:Tom Brady -- 4,355 yards, 29 TD, 11 INT (QB13)
Rushing:Sony Michel -- 931 yards, 6 TD (RB25/RB35)
Receiving:Julian Edelman -- 850 yards, 6 TD (WR24/WR23)
What went right: While Tom Brady had a pretty good year, the Patriots offense didn't live and die on his right arm. Instead, it was a pair of running backs that propelled the Pats in 2018. Rookie Sony Michel missed the first pair of games with an injury but roared to life the rest of the season to lead the team in rushing. Meanwhile, James White was the team leader in targets and receptions as the New England offense wasn't as vertical as it had been in past seasons.
What went wrong: Have we seen the end of Rob Gronkowski as an elite tight end? Gronk was not the dominating physical presence we had seen in the past and finished with some of the lowest totals of his career. When New England landed Josh Gordon in a trade, it was assumed Bill Belichick would find a way to get the best of the troubled receiver. Gordon produced modest numbers in 11 games with the club and eventually left the team to focus on his mental health while reports of another indefinite suspension swirled.
What needs to improve: What do you improve after you've won another Super Bowl? If there's one place the Patriots could improve, it's at wide receiver. Julian Edelman's per game production was on par with his career numbers but he didn't have consistent help at the position. Then again, we've wondered for years how New England has survived without top notch receivers ... yet they persist.
New York Jets (4-12)
2018 Team Offensive Ranks
Total offense: 23rd
Passing: 25th
Rushing: 26th
Statistical Leaders (Final positional ranking/PPR ranks)
Passing:Sam Darnold -- 2,865 yards, 17 TD, 15 INT (QB28)
Rushing:Isaiah Crowell -- 685 yards, 6 TD (RB27/RB32)
Receiving:Robby Anderson -- 752 yards, 6 TD (WR33/WR37)
What went right:Sam Darnold was the star attraction for the Jets heading into 2018. The third-overall pick in the draft has been tabbed as the franchise's latest quarterback savior. After just one season, the jury is still out on the USC product but there were moments when one could believe the hype. Darnold was the biggest standout in an otherwise non-descript offensive season.
What went wrong: It's not that anything really went wrong for the Jets offense last season. It's just that no one really stood out. Robby Anderson flashed at times and disappeared at others. Free agent pick up Isaiah Crowell was perfectly mediocre while preseason sleeper Elijah McGuire never got going after missing the first half of the year with a foot injury.
What needs to improve: This is another roster in need of a talent infusion. If New York truly believes it has found its franchise quarterback, the next step is to surround him with playmakers. Gang Green is likely to upgrade its running back corps and adding more help at the wideout spots would be a good idea as well.
